What does a Social Worker salary really buy you in Vermont?
Vermont is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Vermont's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.1, meaning prices are 1.1% higher the national average. A Social Worker earning $65,370 in Vermont has the equivalent purchasing power of $64,658 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Vermont's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $49,880 | $49,337 | $-542 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $58,760 | $58,120 | $-639 |
| Median (P50) | $65,370 | $64,658 | $-711 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $71,720 | $70,939 | $-780 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $80,330 | $79,455 | $-874 |
Vermont's cost of living is close to the national average, so $65,370 keeps most of its value at $64,658 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Social Worker salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Vermont ranks #8 out of 50 states for Social Worker after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Social Worker in Vermont earns a median salary of $65,370 per year. After adjusting for Vermont's cost of living (RPP=101.1), the real purchasing power is $64,658 — a -1.1% difference.
Vermont's cost of living is 1.1% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Vermont is 101.1 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Social Worker in Vermont: $65,370 x (100 / 101.1) = $64,658. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.